A historic breakthrough in the electrification of traffic was achieved at the end of last year in the USA. A system that enables wireless charging of heavy electric trucks while they are in motion was successfully tested on a section of highway in the federal state of Indiana. The project is the result of a collaboration between engineers from Purdue University and the Indiana Department of Transportation, and testing was conducted using an electric truck manufactured by Cummins.
Charging while driving
During testing, the system successfully delivered 190 kW of power to a Class 8 truck traveling at approximately 105 kilometers per hour. Unlike previous similar projects in the world that focused on smaller passenger vehicles or lower speeds, this system is specifically designed for the high energy requirements of heavy freight transport at full speed.
The technical basis of this solution, which is awaiting patent confirmation, is based on the principle of dynamic wireless energy transfer. Transmitting coils that generate a magnetic field are installed under the surface of the concrete pavement. When a vehicle equipped with the appropriate receiver passes over them, the energy is transferred directly to the battery or drive system. The process, therefore, works in a similar way to wireless charging of smartphones, but with significantly higher levels of power and speed.
Purdue University photo/Kelsey Lefever
Engineers point out that one of the key advantages of Purdue’s design is scalability. The system is designed to adapt to different types of vehicles – from heavy trucks to passenger cars. Also, the new design of the coils will enable the transmission of a sufficient amount of energy without the need to install multiple receivers on vehicles and trailers, which should simplify the implementation of the technology and reduce infrastructure costs.
Technology of the future
The application of this technology could – sometime in the future – fundamentally change the economics of electric transport. Currently, the biggest obstacle to the electrification of heavy trucks is the bulky and expensive batteries needed to cover long distances. By enabling on-the-go charging, vehicles could have smaller and lighter batteries, thereby increasing payload space and reducing overall vehicle costs, while eliminating downtime due to charging at stationary chargers.
Purdue University photo/Kelsey Lefever
This project began with research back in 2018 and involved an investment of 11 million dollars, and is now entering the phase of further testing the durability of materials and energy efficiency. The research team believes that this demonstration has proven that wireless powering of large commercial vehicles is not only technically feasible, but also a practical solution for future electrified highways that could become the standard in the coming decades. If only the USA gets a government that is more inclined to electrification than coal.